Collenbtjsch



(No Model.)

B. KRONBIBGEL-COLLENBUSGH.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS. No. 308,316. Patented Nov. 18,1884.

WITNESSES 7 l/VVE/VTOI? @IWM- v I lg 4 A Homeys N. PETERS.PhnlvLillwgmphuh wunin wn. 0.0

Un'rra rArns FFiGEO BRUNO KRONBIEGEL-OOLLENBUSGH, OF SOEMMERDA, PRUSSIA,GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO DREYSE & COLLE-NBUSOH, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC RAlLVVAY-SlGNA LlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,316, dated November18, 1884.

Application filed February 4, 1884. (No model.) Patented in EnglandDecember 7, 1883, No.'5,668.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BRUNO KRONBIEGEL- OoLLENBUsoH, a citizen of theKingdom of Prussia, Germany,residing at the city of 80cm- Inerda, in theKingdom of Prussia, Germany, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Railway-Signaling Apparatus, (for which LettersPatent have heretofore been granted to me by the Government of Englandunder date of December 7, 1883, No. 5, 668,) of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for signaling railroadtrains by means of torpedoes,whicli are exploded by means of a weightreleased by electrical devices, so as to warn the locomotive-engineer ofdanger in case he overlooks the optical danger-signal.

The invention consists of a Se1naphore-signal, aswitch, acurrent-reversing device operated by a lever mechanism when thelocomotive passes, an electro-magnet, and means actuated by saidelectro-magnet, by which a weight is released and a torpedo exploded, sothat the engineer is warned. v

The invention consists, further, in the construction and combination ofdevices, which will be hereinafter more fully described, and then setforth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates an elevation of myimproved electric-signaling apparatus for railway trains. Fig. 2 is anenlarged detail view of a switch connected with a semaphoricsignal-board and operated therewith; and Figs. 3 and 3 are de tail viewsof the current-reverser that is operated by a passing train, and thatreleases the weight by which a torpedo is exploded.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My improved signaling apparatus for railway-trains consists,essentially, of a semaphore or optical signal, which, when set by theattendant to danger, also sets mechanism by which,in case of thenon-observance of the optical signal, a torpedo'or other detonatingsignal is exploded. The means employed for this purpose consist of aswitch, A, secured to the semaphore-post and operated simultaneouslywith the semaphore-arm, said switch being placed in an electric circuitwith a current-reversing device, 13, actuated by the passing train, andwith an electro-magnet, a, the armature of which, on being released,actuates an intermediate lever mechanism that drops a weight, 0, bywhich a torpedo is discharged. The switch A is operated by a lever, a,that is connected by a chain to the semaphorearm and attached to a diskhaving metallic segments d and 9. Two metallic spring-plates, b and 0,form contact with the with a current-reversing device, B, that is shownon an enlarged scale in Fig. 8. The current-reverser 13 consists of twopairs of spring-plates, h t 7; Z, which are mounted to an upright boardand provided with bindingscrews at one end for the electric wires andwith contaotrollers at the other ends. These rollers are pressed againstfour metal strips, m a 0 p, which are arranged in pairs on oppositesides of a prismatic block of insulating or non-conducting material. oneside of the prism is electrically connected with the strip 19 on theopposite side by a diagonal strip, q, the strips or 0 being in likemanner connected by the strip r, which is insulated from the strip q.porting-block of the strips m 'n 0 p is vertically guided by rods 8 andt in keepers of the supporting-board. A spiral spring, 8, en-

circles the upper guide-rod of the block and exerts a pressure in adownward direction go on the same. The lower guide-rod of the block ofthe current-reverser B rests upon a lever, a, that is pivoted at one endto the pin 22, and connected at the opposite end with a collar at theupper end of the verti- 5 direction upon a fulcrumed lever, 0:, the Op100 The contact- 65 The strip at on The prismatic sup- 8 5 Z and levera.

posite end of which is arranged close to and slightly higher than thetread-surface of the track-rail. The lever 00 is arranged at rightangles to the track, and causes,when depressed by the wheel of thelocomotive, the currentreverser B to move in an upward direction throughthe intervention of the vertical rod After the passage of the train thecurrent-reverser is returned into normal position by means of the spiralsprings s and y.

The means proper for actuating the mechanism that explodes thesignal-torpedo consist of an electro-magnet, a, a fulcrumcd lever, b,and a weight, a. The cores of the electro-magnet are each wound with twosets of insulated copper wires, which run in the same direction. Thearmature d of the electro-magnet a is fulcrumed at c and provided at itsend with a hammer-shaped enlargement, 0 The armature d is connectedabove the fulcrum c with an adjustable releasing-spring, f. The leverbis fulcrumed at g and provided at the inner end close to thearmaturelcver with a fulcrumed gravitylatch, h,,the upper end of whichcarries a projecting pin, 1;, against which strikes the hammer-shapedend (2 of the armature-lever. The lever 2) moves in a keeper, k, thatguides and limits its movement. At the other end of the lever isarranged a pivoted nose, g which turns on the pin Z in an upwarddirection, but is prevented from turning in a downward direction by apin, m, that engages a projection of the pivoted nose 9". A slidingweight, 0, is guided in a vertical frame of corresponding shape andsize, and is free to pass the pivoted nose when lifted by hand orotherwise, above the same. The nose engages an annular groove of theweight 0 when the same is lifted, and is maintained in this positionuntil the latch 71. is released from the pin a. At the lower end of theguideframe of the weight 0 is arranged a easing into which a torpedo orother' detonating device, P, of any approved construction is placed.Finally there is located at the railroad-station connected with thesignaling device an ordinary galvanoscope, M, which indicates thecondition of the circuit and the position of the semaphore arm or board.The electrical parts of the signaling apparatus are inclosed in aweather-tight manner, but the sliding weight can be exposed and operatein the open air, so as to effect the firing of the torpedo in such a waythat the detonation and flame produc d by the explosion can be easilyseen by the engineer or trainman.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows, viz: When the semaphore-armis set into horizontal position indicating danger, the

current will then pass from one pole of the battery to the contact-platea, segment (I, spring-plate Z) of the switch A, and from thence to thespring-plate 7c, strip 12, spring-plate Z, through the coils of theelectro-magnets drawn in full lines to the galvanoscope at the station,

thence to the ground, returning through the ground to the spring-platei, strip a, and plate 71, to the opposite pole of the battery R Z. Vhenthe current is passing in this manner, the circuit is closed, and thearmature d attracted by the electro-magnet a. The gravity-latch itengages the pin a, so that the lever b holds the weight in an elevatedposition by the nose g". When a train approaches without the engineerobserving the semaphore-signal, the lever :r is depressed bythe wheel ofthe locomotive, whereby the currentreverser 13 is lifted, so that thespring plates h, i, 7.1, and Z form no longer contact with the metalplates or or p, but with the diagonallyconnected metal plates m and pand a and 0, as shown in Fig. 3*, whereby the current is reversed, andconsequently the armature d instantly repulsed by the reversed polarityimparted to the poles of the electromagnet a. The hammer-shapedend c ofthe armaturelever strikes the pin i of the gravity-latch h, and releasesthe latter from the pin a. The lever b is thereby liberated, and causesthe dropping of the weight G", which explodes thereby the torpedo orother detonating device. The locality where the torpedo is exploded canbe near the signal-board or at any suitable distance therefrom. Theinsertion of a new torpedo, and the resetting of the weight 0, lever b,and gravity-latch it into their normal positions is performed by thesignalkeeper after each action of the detonating signaling device. \Vhenthe semaphore-arm is raised so as to indicate a clear track, the currentflows from one pole of the battery to the plate f, segment 9,spring-plate 0, through the coils of the electro-magnct shown in dottedlines, then to plate h of the reverser B, and back again to the otherpole of the battery. The current-'reverser B is thus out out of thecircuit; also the galvanoscope at the station, so that the needle of thesame is at zero, indicating that the track is clear. \Vhen the signal isset for danger, the needle ofthe galvanoscope is moved away from zero,and inindicates that the track is occupied. In this manner the stationis fully informed of the condition of the track at any time.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. An electric railway-signaling apparatus consistingof a switch actuated in conjunction with a semaphore, a current-reverseradapted to be placed in circuit with said switch, a levermechanismactuated by the railway-train for shifting thecurrent-reverser, an electromagnct adapted to be placed in circuit withthe switch and currentreverser, and a lever mechanism actuated by thearmature of the electro-magnet so as to release a drop-weight andexplode a torpedo, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a switch actuated in conjunction with a semaphore,a current-reverser adapted to be placed in circuit with said switch, anelcctro-magnet the coils of which are wound with two separate wires inthe same direction, that are connected with the switch andcurrent-reverser, whereby the switch is adapted to cut thecurrent-reverser out of or throw it into circuit, substantially as setforth.

3. In an electric railway-signaling device, the combination of acurrent-reverser, B, con sisting of spring-plates i hk l, averticallyguided and spring-acted block, having metallic strips on n 0 pand diagonal connections '0' and q, and a fulcrumed lever. 00, connectedby intermediate mechanism with the slideblock one end of said leverbeing arranged sidewise of and above the level of the treadsurface ofthe track-rail, substantially as set forth.

4-. In an electric railway-signaling device, the combination of anelectro-magnet, a, oscillating armature (1', having hammer-shapedextension 6', fulcrumed lever I), having an oscillating gravity-latch.h, at one end and a pivoted nose, g at the other end of the lever I),stoppin n, drop-weight O, and means vertically below the weight forsupporting a torpedo or other detonating device, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

BRUNO KROXBIEGEL-OOLLENBUSOH.

Witnesses:

H. F. HEss, RICHARD BRANDT.

